THE CONVERSATION: Temporary urban solutions help us deal with crisis – and can lead to radical shifts in city space

Description

The coronavirus pandemic has resulted in new thinking about how cities are best organised to meet our needs. Part of this has involved short-term changes in the use of urban space.

In England, some planning regulations have been relaxed to allow buildings to be repurposed in response to the crisis. In Italy, there are proposals to convert shipping containers to intensive care units.

Our research into the temporary use of land and buildings shows the ways in which short-term development is deployed during times of crisis. Temporary uses also offer the opportunity for more fundamental rethinking of urban space in the longer term.